The year 2024 opened with a surprising announcement for non-residents of India. The long-awaited request of the Indian diaspora abroad was approved. It was regarding the update in its enrolment rules from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Considering this update, non-residents are now able to apply for an Aadhaar card from any Aadhaar Kendra. The age is no bar, which means that all minors and adults of the Indian diaspora will be eligible according to this update.
Eligibility for NRIs to Apply for an Aadhaar Card in India
Mainly, two eligibilities are defined under it, which are given below:
- The applicant must have a valid Indian passport. This is the only approved proof of identity (POI) and proof of address (POA) that is acceptable.
- A birth certificate is also mandatory for Indians and NRIs born on or after October 1, 2023.
Document Requirement
As mentioned in the eligibility, non-residents must have these documents ready for their Aadhaar Card application verification. For a detailed overview, one can explore this link: https://uidai.gov.in/images/commdoc/valid_documents_list.pdf
- Application Forms:
- Duly filled Form-1 for Aadhaar enrolment
- Form-2 if NRIs want to change or update their address outside of India
- Likewise, Forms 3, 4, 5, and 6 are available for registering minors with different age categories and addresses.
- Form 7 is for those who have foreign passports, OCI cards, valid long-term visas, and Indian visas.
- Form 8 is for resident foreign nationals below 18 years of age who want to add parental or guardian authentication and consent.
- Address Proofs:
- A valid Indian passport, which proves their identity and address, both.
- A valid long-term visa with a valid or expired passport issued to minorities (such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians) of the country of origin, like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan
- A valid registration certificate or residential permit that FRRO/FRO has issued to resident foreigners (except OCI cardholders, LTV document holders, and Nepal/Bhutan nationals)
- Proofs of Identity
- A valid VISA along with a valid foreign passport of NRIs who spent 182 days or more in India immediately preceding the 12 months.
- A valid OCI card with a valid foreign passport of residents who lived here in India for 182 days or more immediately preceding the 12 months.
- For the residents of Nepal/Bhutan,
- Citizenship Certificate
- Voter Identity Card issued by the Election Commission of Nepal/Bhutan
- Limited validity Photo Identity Certificate issued by Nepalese Mission/Royal Bhutanese Mission
- Birth Proof: A self-attested scanned copy of a birth certificate in original for those born on or after October 1, 2023
- Contact Details: An email address as a part of their Aadhaar details
Unlike citizens, NRIs will not receive text messages or SMS on their cellphone numbers.
Step-by-Step Application Process
Here is a step-by-step guide on how non-residents or Indian expats can apply for an Aadhaar Card.
Step 1. Visit Aadhaar Kendra: The applicant needs to physically visit any Aadhaar Kendra in India that is nearby.
Step 2. Fill Forms: Duly fill the requisite forms (Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7) and then get it verified from the competent officer at that Kendra.
Step 3. Enclose Documents: Present supporting documents like a valid passport and a birth certificate for verification.
Step 4: Share Email ID: For NRIs, sharing their email ID is necessary. So, mention it on the form.
Step 5. Sign the Declaration: For NRI enrolment, the declaration slightly differs. So, they are expected to thoroughly read and self-attest it.
Step 6. Verification: The operator at the centre will thoroughly examine the details provided by non-residents and verify with the enclosed proofs.
Step 7. Biometric Verification: The officer will scan your fingerprint and pupil to complete the biometric procedure.
Step 8. Acknowledgement Slip: Once the application is successfully submitted, the applicant will receive an acknowledgement slip. It states an enrolment number, which can guide in tracking the status of the application on the UIDAI website.
As the application is processed, the Aadhaar card will be delivered to the registered address of the applicant in India. Also, one can easily download its electronic version (e-Aadhaar) from the UIDAI website.
Guidelines for Document Verification
- Any proof of identity (PoI) will be accepted given it states the name and photograph of the applicant.
- Any proof of address (PoA) will be verified only if it has the name and address of the applicant.
- Any proof of identity (PoI) and proof of address (PoA) will be approved provided it contains the name, photograph, and address of the applicant.
- All the PoI, PoA, and Date of Birth documents must be in the name of the candidate. But, it may not be the case if the documents are in the name of the head of the family member/members.
- Head of Family (HoF) enrolment shall be considered if the applicant or immediate family members do not have PoI and PoA or proof of residence papers.
- The visit of the head of the family is a must during enrolment for the NRI’s Aadhaar authentication.
- The address in the HoF’s Aadhaar will be input in the Aadhaar of all family members.
- The resident foreigners will be able to leverage the Aadhaar until their VISA expires.
- For Nepalese/Bhutanese nationals & OCI cardholders, this validity will be for a decade.
- The Long Term Visa (LTV) holders will be able to enjoy the benefits of this document till the validity of their own visa.
- The applicant does not need any photocopy to bring along. Only scanned versions of original papers shall be accepted.
For any updates or revised rules, you may explore the official UIDAI website (uidai.gov.in). Services 2NRI continues to bring updates regarding all crucial documents like birth certificates, non-availability of birth certificates, etc. Stay tuned for the latest updates regarding documentation for non-residents.
Conclusion
The Indian diaspora is now eligible to apply for an Aadhaar card. Simply put, NRIs can easily obtain it by following the steps described in this blog. Also, they must follow the guidelines to avoid delays and rejection of their application.
